NFL Draft: Third Round Breakdown

FROM WES BUNTING:

In day three of my NFL draft value and scheme breakdown, I take a look at the third round and discuss some of my impressions in the wake of last weekend’s draft. The third round is interesting because we typically see teams either target prospects who have fallen through the cracks or overdraft players with elite ability and upside.

Picks I like from a value and scheme perspective…

RB Shonn Greene, New York Jets

Not only is Greene one of my favorite running backs in the draft class, I think he’s an ideal fit for what the Jets want to do on offense. The combination of Greene and Leon Washington gives the New York coaching staff a real thunder-and-lighting approach on offense, using Greene to wear down opposing front sevens, then bring in Washington to create big plays. By no means am I forgetting RB Thomas Jones, who should be a great mentor to Greene and has the ability to pound out some yards next season. But Jones is now on the wrong side of 30 and has taken his share of pounding throughout his career. So getting his eventual replacement sooner rather than later makes a lot of sense for the Jets in round three.

DT Jarron Gilbert, Chicago Bears

There’s no doubt that Gilbert was one of the most athletically gifted defensive lineman in the draft. The only question is what position is he best suited to play, the three-technique or the five-technique? The Bears answered that when they immediately inserted Gilbert into their one-gap-style defense. Gilbert finished his 2008 college season with 22 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks – exactly the type of penetrating tackle the Bears love inside. He possesses the burst, length and power to consistently knife through the line, shed blockers and create havoc in the backfield. There’s already some talent in place on the Bears’ defensive line, but I think Gilbert is too good an athlete to not see significant playing time in year one.  

CB Asher Allen, Minnesota Vikings

Allen is a mature kid who was asked to play in space, on an island, against SEC competition since his sophomore year. He showcases a confident demeanor and good overall technique and possesses the instincts to be an ideal fit in the Vikings’ Cover 2 scheme. Allen is a lot tougher than given credit for and isn’t afraid to stick his head in vs. the run game. I think the comparisons of Allen to current teammate Antoine Winfield are premature, but at the same time, I can definitely see Allen starting within the next couple of years. His role in 2009 may be more as a nickel or dime back, but the Vikings did an excellent job identifying a guy who fits what they want to do and picking up a potential starter in round three.

Picks I like from a scheme perspective…

WR Patrick Turner, Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have been desperately trying to find a possession-type receiver who can move the chains on third down and create plays in the red zone. It looks like they finally found him in Turner, the former USC wideout. Turner is a king-sized receiver who understands his limitations but does a nice job gaining an initial step and using his body to shield defenders away from the ball. He possesses catcher’s mitts for hands and does a great job extending his arms and plucking the ball away from his body. I think Turner’s best football is still ahead of him, and he gives QB Chad Pennington a big target to throw to over the middle. He should develop into the type of possession receiver that wideout Ernest Wilford never became in Miami.

WR Deon Butler, Seattle Seahawks

Butler never received the kind of attention he deserved while at Penn State, but I now expect him to carve out a niche for himself in Seattle. He’s an explosive downfield threat who can get behind defenses vertically and has the ability to separate underneath and work out of the slot. The Seahawks lost WR Bobby Engram this offseason and will definitely miss his ability to create mismatches from the slot and move the chains on third down. However, Butler possesses a similar skill set, and with a little seasoning, I think he has the talent to have a career comparable to the former Seahawks wideout.

Picks that left me wondering…

CB Lardarius Webb, Baltimore Ravens

I have no problem with the Ravens taking a cornerback with their third-round selection; in fact, I thought they might address their cornerback need in the first or second round. The thing that baffled me about their third-round pick was that they drafted the undersized Webb, who stands only 5-10 and 179 pounds. When I look at the Ravens’ depth chart, I see a group of smaller corners like Fabian Washington, Chris Carr and Domonique Foxworth, all of whom lack size and struggle when asked to cover some of the more physically imposing receivers in the NFL. I’m not saying Webb doesn’t have the makings of a solid contributing cornerback at the next level. I just wonder about the idea of bringing in another undersized corner to a group that needs to add some size and physical toughness to the position.

OG Louis Vasquez, San Diego Chargers

Vasquez is a big, physically strapping offensive lineman with a thick base and good lower body strength. He fits the prototype of size and attitude the Chargers want from their offensive linemen. But he isn’t particularly fluid and was helped out tremendously in pass protection by the quick-hit offense at Texas Tech. Obviously, the smaller splits in the NFL will help out with his lack of agility in space. But I still see Vasquez struggling when asked to handle any kind of burst or quickness inside. He has the frame and power to develop into a very good run blocker, but there are concerns about his agility and the fact that so few offensive linemen from Texas Tech’s spread offense have found success in the NFL. I think the Chargers’ fourth round pick, OG Tyronne Green, will give them more production up front than Vasquez. 

OG/OT Robert Brewster, Dallas Cowboys

Brewster has the size and frame (6-4, 325) to look like an ideal fit for the type of big road-graders the Cowboys love to have up front. But after studying tape of him, you quickly see that he doesn’t play as physical or as strong as his frame indicates. He’s more of a finesse blocker who’s very coordinated and does a nice job using his feet and length to get outside and seal linemen away from the play. However, he lacks the type of athleticism needed to play tackle in the NFL and will most likely get kicked inside to guard. Brewster lacks the type of lower body strength to get initial push in the run game and doesn’t display much of a punch on contact. He’s a smooth, fluid athlete, but his lack of strength and overall power shows up consistently on film, and for a team like the Cowboys, who love powerful maulers up front, I don’t think he’s a good fit.

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